Winter Trout Fishing on the Rio Chama Below El Vado Dam

Toner Mitchell shows off a fine example of the resident brown trout that can be found during the winter in the Rio Chama below  El Vado Dam.

In the dead of winter when most anglers are yearning for a fight with a feisty trout there are only a few places one can try in northern New Mexico.

But for those seeking the solitude of a lonely stretch of river, incredible scenery and the possibility of catching a fat fish, then the Rio Chama below El Vado Dam is where it’s at.

Located just a couple hours north of Santa Fe off one of the most scenic highways in the state lies a secluded stretch of the Rio Chama where trout fishing can be had in the midst of winter.

During a mid-week, early February trip we found the river free of any other anglers and caught a couple of fine examples of the big trout that lie in wait in the murky waters below the dam.

Anglers will find up to six miles of good fishing on the river below El Vado dam as it carves its way through a deep, wild canyon before being confined again by the dam and lake at Abiquiu.

Designated a federally protected Wild and Scenic River for 25 miles below the dam at El Vado, the river is popular among rafters, canoeists, kayakers during the spring, summer and fall months.

The river is then frequently running high to supply downstream irrigation demands and provide an adequate flow for river runners.

But in the winter when the gates are shut down and the water drops, anglers in the know make the trip to this stretch of water to enjoy its fabled fishing.

“This is a place where anglers really need to dial back their expectations, though,” says Toner Mitchell, veteran fishing guide, manager of the Reel Life fly shop and a Santa Fe native. “It’s the kind of river where if you catch a trout, then you’ve had a good day.”

Mitchell recommends anglers interested in fishing the Rio Chama below El Vado dam familiarize themselves with some basic winter angling techniques.

Those fishing with a spin-casting rig will find that baits like worms and salmon eggs drifted under a bubble may work much better than using a spinning lure due to the sluggishness of trout during the cold winter months.

The same applies to fly fishermen and women.

Egg and worm patterns presented at the proper depth and methodically dead drifted through a target area may work much better than stripping a streamer through a pool, Mitchell says.

But regardless of the fishing gear used, the real key to success on the Rio Chama in winter may have more to do with the weather than anything else.

Being prepared to hit the river when the weather turns mild during breaks between storms and cold fronts is critical to catching fish when they’re feeding, Mitchell says.

The trout may then be found loitering at the tail end of a pool where a good, dead drift is essential for attracting one’s attention or they may be feeding up in the shallow riffle just above the pool.

That’s why it’s crucial to methodically fish an entire segment of water before moving on, Mitchell says.

It’s also very important to use a proper weight to get the fly or bait down into the zone where the fish are holding, Mitchell says.

Too much weight and your offering may drift right under the trout while too little may put it out of their reach.

“Sometimes you have to literally hit them on the head with it before they’ll bite,” Mitchell says.

And changing weight while also adjusting the length of a strike indicator, bubble or bobber can often be more significant than what fly, bait, or lure is being used, Mitchell noted.

Anglers should also be prepared to deal with the Rio Chama’s notoriously slick streambed where studded, felt-soled wading boots are highly recommended.

Anglers venturing into the canyon should also be prepared for a day outdoors by dressing in layers, carrying plenty of water and having an emergency space blanket, fire starter and a couple of high energy bars on hand - just in case.

It should be noted that the state record brown trout came out of the Rio Chama and can still be seen mounted on the wall of the El Vado Ranch store, says owner Dave Copper.

Measuring in at 35.5-inches in length and weighing just over 20 pounds, the monster brown trout was caught with a live minnow by G.T. Colgrove of Decatur, TX, on July 8, 1946, Cooper says.

Cooper, 58, grew up by the river on the 100-acre ranch his parents owned and says big trout are still routinely pulled out of its waters with the average brown trout measures about 17 inches and some being caught as big as 28 inches.

“It’s still one of the best fisheries in the state,” Cooper says with pride.

El Vado Ranch offers anglers parking on the river at $5 a day and sells some tackle and groceries in its store.

Fully furnished log cabins are also available for those who might want to stay the night after a hard day of fishing.

Cooper said anglers who need something might have to go looking for him as he is frequently not in the office and out on the property instead during the winter months.

And while the Rio Chama continues to produce excellent fishing year after year a study of the river’s health is underway, says Steve Harris of the non-profit Rio Grande Restoration Project and owner of the rafting company Far Flung Adventures.

And negotiations with the governmental agencies that own and control the river’s water is underway too which will hopefully lead to improvements on a number of different fronts.

“They recognize things can be improved,” Harris says.

For instance, the brown trouts’ reproduction rates could improve greatly by simply altering the water delivery schedule to keep trout spawning beds sufficiently wet during critical fall months, Harris noted.

Those and other suggestions are part of ongoing discussions with a number of agencies including the Bureau of Reclamation which operates the dam and appears receptive to revising its operations to improve conditions on the river, Harris says.

For more information about the project see the Rio Grande Restoration Project’s latest newsletters Chama Flow Report # 1 and Chama Flow Report # 2.

IF YOU GO: From Santa Fe take US 84/285 north to Espanola. Continue on US 84 north to the blinking yellow light at the crossroad of NM 531 near the village of Tierra Amarilla. Turn left onto NM 531 and follow past Escalante High School to the intersection of NM 112 and turn left again. Follow to the turn off for El Vado Ranch just before reaching the dam.

Even the stocked rainbow trout can grow big on the Rio Chama below El Vado Dam.

Hunting & Fishing Show to Feature Local Bamboo Rod Builder

When the doors open and the crowds start to filter in at Bob Gerding’s annual hunting and fishing show this weekend, fledgling bamboo fly rod builder Bruce Smith of Edgewood will be there to realize his dream.

“It’s pretty exciting,” the retired master carpenter said during a recent interview at his modest work shop tucked away in the hills of southern Santa Fe County. “And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’ve had some butterflies in my stomach.”

Smith will be exhibiting over a dozen of his meticulously hand crafted bamboo rods at the show and providing information on the history, construction and use of split bamboo cane rods.

Bamboo rods are considered by many fly fishing purists to be the best an angler can use. They are said to provide smoother casting, a supple feel and better response when a fish is on the line.

Gerding’s 14th annual hunting and fishing show kicks off at noon on Friday and runs through the weekend inside the Manuel Lujan Center on the state fairgrounds at Expo New Mexico.

Exhibitors will include hunting and fishing outfitters, outdoor product vendors, educational seminars and other activities.

And this year the angling group New Mexico Trout will be holding its annual fly tying symposium featuring top fly tiers during the show.

The popular King Salmon fishing simulator will also be back this year too, says promoter Bob Gerding who is in 14th year of running the show.

Tickets are $8 and kids under 12-years-old get in free. For more info go to http://bobsoutadv.com/

Smith, in pursuing a career as a bamboo rod building career, is carrying on a family tradition of sorts.

Smith says his grandfather, Clyde Lester of Spokane, Washington, was a fisherman who liked to fix up old rods and reels in his shop when he wasn’t working construction.

“He was a gas to hang around,” Smith, 62, says of Lester whom his family often visited for vacation.

Lester worked with bamboo which was prevalent then as fiberglass and graphite rods had yet to hit the market.

“I was fascinated by his work and always dreamed of doing the same thing,” Smith says of those days hanging around with his grandfather who also taught him the art of fly fishing.

So when the economy tanked a few years back Smith finally got his chance to pursue his dream.

After 27 years of exclusively building stairs for construction companies like Pulte, Sivage and Stillbrooke Homes and also Accent Stairs in Albuquerque, Smith called it quits and got to work on his own small business.

His shop now features the tools of his new trade including specialized equipment he constructed himself for splitting and shaping the bamboo cane, wrapping, varnishing and drying the rods and other construction techniques.

Smith’s rods can be custom built to include gold plating, exotic wood rod handles, special paint schemes, carrying cases or whatever a customer may want to personalize their rod, Smith says.

Smith’s business venture is called Sweetrock Rodsmiths and in addition to crafting over a dozen rods for display at the show he has even built his own website which can been seen at http://www.sweetrockrodsmiths.com/.

And as far as Smith knows there’s only one other bamboo rod builder in the state that’s in the business.

Smith grew up in Albuquerque where his father, Clifford Smith, was a high ranking naval officer with the Naval Weapons Evaluation Command at Kirtland Air Force base.

Smith graduated from Del Norte High School in 1968 and set out to pursue his own career in the Navy serving as a machinery repairman with the Seabees.

But while on leave in Albuquerque in 1972 and preparing to travel to a new duty station in San Diego he was involved in an accident that drastically changed his life.

Smith got his vehicle stuck in a ditch on a country road while visiting friends and upon winching it out was severely injured when the cable snapped and nearly took off his leg.

His naval career came screeching to halt and his medical recovery took years to accomplish.

“There were no disability or insurance payments,” Smith said. “So I just had to suck it up and move on. The toughest part was learning not to be bitter.”

The accident left him with some serious emotional and physical problems to overcome and he came close to living off the streets at one point, Smith says.

But with the help of his family and friends Smith overcame those hurdles and went on to find a new career specializing in the construction of staircases, a specialty within the housing industry.

Smith is a long divorced bachelor who is still very good friends his wife, Karen, and they have a daughter, Kelsa, who is a graduate student at the University of New Mexico.

Smith’s father has since passed on but his mother, Jean, at 91-years-old is still well enough to have travelled on her own to visit family on the west coast over the holidays, he says.

Smith said that in making his debut at the hunting and fishing show Smith sees it as overcoming yet another difficult situation in life and moving on to a better place, something he hopes fellow vets returning from the Iraq war can accomplish too.